A Health Reform Proposal: Take Charge of Your Life
by Phylis Clay Sparks

    Will Rogers once said, “Congress is going to start tinkering with the Ten Commandments just as soon as they can find someone in Washington who has read them.” When I came across this quote it brought a smile to my face.  I then thought about how our government can’t seem to agree on anything having to do with the highest good for everyone. 
    Health care reform is a good example. The hodge-podge assortment of self-serving opinions makes agreement almost impossible. I started thinking that perhaps we had better come up with our own version of health care reform. 
    It seems to me there’s a lot each one of us can do to reform, or change, some of the self-abusive things we do that weaken our immune systems which makes our bodies more susceptible to disease. 
    In addition to the Ten Commandments, here are Ten Demandments that you might want to include in your personal health reform proposal:

1.  Stop worrying! The Mayo Clinic claims that 80 to 85 percent of its total caseload is due to worry and anxiety. The Dalai Lama said, “If there is a solution to a problem, there is no need to worry. And if there is no solution, there is no need to worry.” One leading physician said that in his opinion 70 percent of all medical patients could cure themselves if only they got rid of their worries and fears.

2.  Count your blessings! Gratitude is the fastest way to turn self-pity — a state of mind that nurtures dis-ease — into a state of mind that enhances health.

3.  Give yourself away! The act of giving —whether it be expressing a talent, a kindness, giving money or some other asset you possess — gets your mind off the “getting” attitude that leads to clutching, withholding and contracting. When you withhold your good, you stop the flow, including the flow of health in your body.

4.  Practice forgiveness. Forgiveness isn’t about benefiting another person by letting them off the hook, it’s about freeing yourself to move forward and live a healthier life.

5.  Laugh more! There’s nothing better than a light-hearted approach to life to neutralize anger, anxiety, worry and fear, all things that damage your well-being. You simply cannot be negative and be joyful at the same time.

6.  Practice peace. Do those things that relax you, whether it’s meditation, yoga, a walk outdoors or some other peace-producing activity. Peace begins with each one of us. It’s a tonic to the body, mind and spirit.

7.  Develop self-discipline. This means using your power of choice and decision to stop excessiveness on any level, whether it has to do with food, drink, worry, selfishness, arrogance or countless other unhealthy approaches to living.

8.  Use the gift of passion and enthusiasm to keep your vision alive!

9.  Honor your body temple by respecting it with healthy food and exercise.

10.  Last, but not least, reconnect with the higher power of your own belief system. Realize that there is that within you that is stronger than your fears and greater than your limitations or weaknesses.

    The bottom line is, even though health reform is an important issue in today’s world, we must all learn to stop putting so much emphasis on things outside ourselves to fix us when something goes wrong. We have the power to keep ourselves healthy in body, mind and spirit so that our need for outside assistance is reduced or even eliminated.